Method of and apparatus for decorating articles of manufacture having elongated surfaces



July 14, 1936. G. VON WEBERN 2,047,718

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DECORATING ARTICLES OF MANUFACTURE HAVINGELONGATED SURFACES Filed June 8, 1955 -3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Qu/ao vo/vWEBERN July 14, 1936. G. VON WEBERN 7 2,947,718

- METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DECORATING ARTICLES OF MANUFACTURE HAVINGELONGATED SURFACES Filed June 8, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Gu/Q0 VON WEBER/vG. VON WEBERN July 14, 1936.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DECORATING ARTICLES OF MANUFACTURE HAVINGELONGATED SURFACES Filed June 8, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Q0100 VON WEBER/YPatented. July 14, 1936 UNITED'YILSTATIE S I P METHOD OF AND APPARATUSFOR DEUU- RATI'NG I ARTICLES 0F MANUFACTUR .HAVING ELONGATED SURFACES-Guido von Webern, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to Oxford Varnish Corporation,Detroit, Mich, a 1 corporation of Michigan Application June 8, 1935,Serial No. 25,644

ply to an offset transfer roll, a repeatingdecorative design carried bya printing cylinder, whereby several repeats of the designs on thecylinder can be applied to the transfer roll in a continuous manner. Aspecific application of the method and apparatus to a particularindustrial use is set. forth herein as being adapted to the decorationof surfaces of articles of manufacture which are comparatively longrelative to the width there- -,of, and uponwhich surfaces, thedecorative design is applied.

The particular apparatus herein disclosed is adapted to the art ofeffecting wood grain finishes on moldings, frames and headings when bentto final form, and also when the same exist in a into rolll-ngcontactwith the pattern roll, thereby transferring the design in color to :thetransferrolLwhich is thereafterbrought into rollingcontact.with,the;surface .of the work, to apply thedesign-incolortheretoa Such processes, as well as variations of suchprocesses, are'generally well known and-are in use-at the present time.

When mouldings, framings and other; articleswhich Dresentelongated-"surfaces. are to be 'dec-'- orated, it is desirabl'e'tos'odecorate themthat" the pattern or design, when -beingirepeated on thesame strip, will not be epticsny' erally; this has been accomplished "bypr pattern and transfer rollshavinga'circ frri greater than the lengthof the strip tolb orated; However, as the length of thfejst p creases,this becomes exceedingly difficult, instance, to increase thecircumference of the. rolls, the-diameters thereof andthe rolls becomeunwieldy. This is especially disadvantageous when the offset or transferroll is manually ap plied to the work. Such transfer rolls are madeusually of a gum or glue and glycerine composition, and therefore arequite resilient. As the diameter of such rolls increases, the tendencyof the roll to become distorted is likewise increased. This makes itdiificult to obtain an accurate reproduction of the design. Likewise,such rolls, due to their large diameter and weight, are difficult tohandle, and to have the design applied thereto from the pattern roll.

In the decoration of the internal surfaces offrames and especiallyframes having curvilinear internal corner surfaces, such as automotivewindow frames, the diameter of the offset roll is limited both by thenarrow dimension of the frame and by the radius of the curves at thecorners thereof. In such instances the roll obviously cannot be of sucha diameter as would permit its circumference to be, greater than theinternal perimeter of the frame, as the diameter of such a roll would betoo great to permit its entrance into the frame, or too large to imprintthe rounded internal surfaces of small radii. Ob-

viously, this would materially hamper the application of a continuousdesign having a non-repeating pattern to the internal surface of aframe. 7

Hence, an additional object of the present invention is to provide a.method and apparatus to facilitate the gralning of elongated surfaces,such as window mouldings and frames for automobile bodies by an offsetprinting process and a further object is to provide a method andapparatus which will permit a design to be transferred to the elongatedsurfaces of such articles by manually rolling an offset roll along thesurfaces thereof without necessitating the use of cumbersome andunwieldy offset rolls.

A further object is the provision of a method of graining which may bereadily used to grain the internal surfaces of frames and the like insuch a manner as will provide the frame with a substantially continuousdecorative pattern.

Itis also an object of the present invention to provide a 'grainingmechanism in which a transfer roll may be positioned, and suchpositioning act toinitiate the operation of the mech- 'an ism 'totransfer a design from a suitablepatternsuchtransfer roll, and tofurther arrange the apparatus so that consequent upon the re movalofxsuchtransfer-roll, the mechanism will be autornatically-resettoreceive another transfer roll.

A further object of the invention is to provide this transfer.

an improved transfer machine which will transfer a design from a patternto an offset printing roll with rapidity and to so arrange suchmechanism that the design may be applied to the offset roll in the formof spiral convolutions, the direction and pitch of such spiral beingchangeable at the will of the operator.

Other objects of the invention will become more apparent from thefollowing description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.The essential features of the invention will be brought out in theclaims.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein I illustrate a preferred form ofmechanism for carrying out my invention, Fig. l is a front elevation ofan apparatus for transferring a design from a pattern roll to a transferroll, certain parts being broken away to more clearly illustrate theinternal construction of the mechanism; Fig. 2 is a plan view of theapparatus illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section throughthe pattern roll as indicated by the line 3-4 on Fig. 1; Figs. 4, 5 and6 are vertical sections as indicated by the correspondingly numberedlines on Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a manner oftransferring the design from the transfer or offset rolls to the work.

My improved method comprises in general the provision of a pattern, thelength of which is greater than the length of the strip to be grained.This pattern may be in the form of a cylinder, the circumference ofwhich is longer than the strip to be decorated. The design may beapplied to the pattern in any well known manner, such asphotomechanically. However, I preferably apply the design to form acontinuous pattern on the roll, as explained and claimed in Patent No.1,944,200, issued to Guido von Webern, January 23, 1934, and assigned tomy assignee. Ink or color is applied to the cylinder, and any excesscolor is removed by a doctor blade in the usual manner. An offset rollhaving a diameter considerably less than the diameter of the patternroll, but having a greater surface width than the pattern, is thenbrought into rolling contact with the pattern and rolled thereacross.When the work is in strip form, the offset roll is rolled therealong ina path at an angle to the long dimension of the work.

When a pattern roll is used, as illustrated in the apparatus shown inthe drawings, the axis of the offset roll is positioned at an acuteangle to the axis of the'pattern roll and the offset roll is progressedalong its own axis simultaneously with its rotary movement. The patternroll is simply rotated about its axis and constrained from any axialdisplacement relative to the transfer roll, other than the predeterminedamount above stated. This effectively transfers the design from thepattern roll to the offset roll and, partially due to the surfacecharacteristics inherent in offset printing rolls used in this type ofwork, there is substantially no blurring of the design during Therelative axial travel of the offset roll is preferably controlled by itsfrictional contact with the pattern roll. The offset roll is thenremoved from the transfer apparatus and is rolled across the work asindicatedin Fig. 7. The axis of the roll being maintained at all timesat an angle to the strip to cause the spiral pattern to be transferredto such strip with the grain lines or pattern thereof substantiallyparallel with th edges of the strip. Obviously, this angle is determinedby the angle maintained between the offset roll and the pattern roll, atthe time the pattern was applied to the oifset roll. Such a methodpermits the use of an offset roll having a diameter comparatively smallin relation to the diameter of the pattern roll and hence is handledreadily by the operator and as the transfer roll is manually rolledacross the work. Likewise, since the roll is small in diameter, there isless tendency of the roll to become lopsided or flattened, as theperiphery thereof is closer to the axis of the roll. This smallness oftransfer roll diameter facilitates the graining of the internal surfacesof frames and the like.

The apparatus shown in the drawings comprises a motor-driven mechanismfor applying a design in ink -or suitable printing fluid to a patternroll I 0 and for thereafter transferring the ink pattern in the form ofa continuous spiral to a composition offset roll 50. The mechanism isarranged to be adjusted to transfer the pattern to the offset roll inthe form of either a left-hand or right-hand spiral, as desired.Likewise, the pitch of the spiral may be varied to accommodate patternsof various widths, to the best advantage possible with the particularoifset roll being used. 1 As shown in the drawings, and especially inFigs. 1 and 3, the pattern roll it comprises a drum ll having about itsperiphery a pattern plate I2, which carries a suitable design. Suchdesign may be sunk into the periphery of the plate by any well-knownphotogravure process. The pattern roll is rotatably journalled on ashaft l4, one end of which is mounted in a bushing l5, carried by anupright frame member IS, the other end of which is journalled in astub-shaft i1, rotatably mounted in bushings l8 carried by anotherupright frame member I 9.

The mechanism is arranged for quick removal and replacement of thepattern roll Ill. Accordingly, the shaft i4 is provided with a knurledhead 20, arranged to be grasped by the operator, and withdrawn, therebyreleasing the pattern roll III, to enable the replacement of the patternwith another bearing a difl'erent design. A suitable set screw Iliacarried by the hub of the pattern roll engages the annular recess 2| inthe shaft and normally acts to retain the shaft and pattern roll inposition.

The pattern roll is continuously rotated by a suitable motor 25. Asillustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, the motor 25 is supported by an adjustablebase member 26, and is placed below the pattern roll and drivinglyconnected with a gear reduction unit generally indicated at 21. Thedriving shaft of the gear reduction unit carries a pulley 28, which bymeans of a suitable belt 23, drives a pulley 30. The latter pulley isrotatably journalled on the bushing heretofore mentioned and isdrivingly connected with the pattern roll ill by a pin 3|, carried bythe hub of the pulley; the pin engaging a slot 32 in the hub of thepattern roll.

Pigment is supplied to the pattern roll by an applicator roll 35,mounted therebeneath and having its lower reach in a reservoir or inksupply tray 36, which is supported between the frame members it and I9in any suitable manner. The applicator roll is rigidly carried by theshaft 31, and is journalled in suitable bearings carried by the walls ofthe reservoir 36. This shaft extends outwardly from the reservoir and isprovided with contact between the pin 38 and an abutment 39 carried by apulley 4| effects the driving connection. The pulley 4| is rotatablyjournalled on the sub-shaft 40, and is driven through a belt 42 from apulley 43, the latter being secured to the subshaft l1, heretoforementioned. The shaft H is driven from the pattern roll I0. I

As shown in Fig. 3, the pulley 43 is rigidly secured to theshaft IT by asuitable pin 43a, and a cam me'mber 46 is also Secured to the same shaftand carries a pin 4'1, arranged to engage a recess or slot 48 in theleft-hand face of the hub ofthe pattern roll l0, thereby providing adriving. connection between the pattern roll, the motor and theink-applicator roll.

,It will ,be noted from Figs. 1 and 4, that the ink-applicator roll 35does not actually contact with the pattern roll, but is spaced a slightdistance from it. This distance isgreatIy exaggerated in Fig. 1.Actually, the distance is only sufficient to avoidpositivecontactbetween the two rolls, thereby preventing theink-applicator from wearing away or defacing the pattern. The printingfluid used is of such a consistency as to effectively bridge the gapbetween the two rolls, and supply ink or printing fluid evenly, o thepattern, despite the slight separationfbetween the two. The applicationof the ink is assisted, due to therotation of the two rolls. 'It will benoted from Fig. 4 that the surface or the. ink applicator roll is movedin a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the patternroll' surfaces This tends to cause a more even flow of ink from thereservoir to the pattern roll, I

The excess ink is removed from the pattern roll by a suitabledoctorblade 55. As shown in Figs. 2 aud t, the doctor blade comprises athin, metallic plate member 55, somewhat longer than the width of thepattern roll and is rigidlysecured to a bar or shaft 56. The doctor rollshaft 55 is mounted for reciprocation'in suitable bear ings 57, carriedby the machine frame, and moved axially by a lever ,58 pivoted as at 59to a suitable ally rolled across the work. In such instances}.

the mechanism is arranged to have the roll deposited therein by theoperator and consequent upon the deposit of the roll in the mechanism toautomatically transfer a design pattern from the pattern roll ill tosuch offset rolls, and consequent upon .the removal of the offset rollfrom the mechanism to reset the mechanism to receive another ofisetroll.

The mechanism comprising a carriage for the offset roll also is operableintermittently, de-

pending upon the positioning of an offset roll thereupon. As shown inFigs. 1 and 2, the offset roll is manually positioned in a carriage 5!),which is reciprocably mounted in an elongated guidcway ti formed in theslide frame construction, (i2, the latter being carried by the framemembers it and I9. As shown, theguideway ti is mounted on the slideframe 62, which bridges the frame members it and it at their upperportions. The connection between the slide frame 62 and the table-likeportion of the frame is that of a turn-table. As shown, the turn-table63 is provided with an annular rib or ribs 64, arranged to engagerecesses 65 in the slide frame 62. Suitable bolts, such as are'indicatedat 66, may be provided to clamp the slide frame in any desiredangular position relative to the frame and so controlled as to determinethe relative angular positions of the pattern roll l0 and the offsetroll 50, thereby controlling'the degree of pitch of the spiral effectedby the design during the transfer of the design from the pattern roll tothe offset roll.

The carriage 60 comprises a rectangular frame having at its oppositeends pockets arranged to receive the offset roll pin 52, of the offsetroll shaft 50, in such amanner that the offset roll may rest by gravityon the pattern roll.

The carriage 60 is mounted for longitudinal movementin the guideway ,6].As shown in Fig. l, the carriage is provided with a plurality of rollsor rollers (2, arranged to engage the bottom wall 13 of the guideway,while the edges 'of the carriage are arranged to engage the side wallsof the guideway'lso as to maintain the direction of movement, of thecarriage constant.

Fig. 1 illustrates an offset roll 59 during the transfer of the graindesign from the pattern roll totheoifset roll. Howeverywhen the roll isplaced in the machine the carriage is in its ex-' treme right-handposition, in which position a pivoted latch 80, mounted on thecarriage,is in engagement with a coacting latch member or catch 8!, carried bythe right-hand end of the frame 62. lowever; consequent upon thedepositing in the carriage, by the operator, of an offset roll, theshaft of such roll engages the latch as shown in Fig. l, rocking thelatch'in a counter-clockwise direction, thereby freeing it fromtliecatch 8|, whereupon a suitable spring pressed plunger 83 acts toovercome the inertia of the offset roll and to aid or permit the patternroll to both rotate the offset roll and propel it axially along theguideway of the frame 62. As the offset roll rests entirely by gravityon the pattern roll, any slight variations are readily compensated for,and a driving frictional'contact between the two rolls is insured.

The pattern roll progresses the transfer roll 50 along its guidewayuntil the entire roll has been covered with the pattern, as indicated bythe shaded portions of the roll 50a in Fig. 7, at'which time theright-hand end of the offset roll has progressed a slight distancebeyond the edge of the pattern roll and the driving connectiontherebetween is thus broken. The carriage remains in this'positionunaffected by the mechanism until the offset roll is removed therefromby the operator,

consequent upon the removal of the offset roll from the carriage by theoperator, the lefthand portion 53 of the offset roll shaft is removedfrom contact with a spring-pressed pawl 90 disposed at the right-handend of the carriage, whereupon a spring 9i rocks the pawl in acounter-clockwise position. This rocking causes a lip 92 thereof to beswung into a position to be engaged by suitable lugs 93, carried by acontinuous belt or chain M, which is driven in the direction of thearrow in Fig. 1. serves to return the carriage 60 to its extremeright-hand position'and to cause the latch to reengage the catch 8!. Thespring-pressed plunger 83 absorbs the shock and maintains the catch MIin engagement with the catch Bl.

This. positive drive The chain 94 is carried by a pair of sprocketmembers 95 and 96, mounted on respective shafts 91 and 98, journalled inthe guideway frame 62. This chain is constantly driven from the subshaftII, heretofore described. As shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 6 a suitablesprocket I00 is drivingly secured to the sub-shaft I1 and through themedium of a sprocket chain IOI drives a sprocket I02 which is secured toa suitable sub-shaft I03 journalled in a bearing member I04 secured tothe frame plate I9, in any suitable manner.

The sub-shaft I03 has secured to its outer end, one member I05 of auniversal joint mechanism, the other member I06 of which carries a shaftI01 having a splined connection I08, with a tube or sleeve I09. Thesleeve I09 is rigidly secured to a shaft IIO, which, in turn, through auniversal joint I I I, is drivingly connected to a shaft IIZ, journalledin the guide frame 60. A suitable spiral gear I I3 is drivinglyconnected to the shaft I I2 and meshes with another spiral gear I I6drivingly secured to the sprocket shaft 98, serves to drive the chain 94to return the carriage.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided amethod of decorating articles in which long surfaces, such as elongatedstrips or the interior surfaces of frames, may be readily grained by theuse of an offset roll having a comparatively small diameter. It willlikewise be seen that I have provided an apparatus for transferring adesign to a pattern roll in a simple and efllcient manner, and in whichthe transfer roll may be placed manually, by the operator, and themechanism thereafter functions to automatically transfer the design froma pattern roll to an offset roll and consequent upon the removal of suchoffset roll the mechanism will automatically reset itself so as toreceive another offset roll. It is obvious also, that the depositing andremoving of the offset roll automatically initiates the action of themechanism to transfer the grain to the offset roll and to restore themechanism to receive another offset roll.

I claim:

1. The method of effecting the decorating of an elongated surface,comprising applying a design to a pattern, obtaining a transfertherefrom on an offset roll by rolling such roll along the pattern andat the same time moving the roll relative to the pattern in thedirection of its axis, and subsequently transferring the design from theoffset roll to the article to be decorated.

2. The method of effecting the decorating of an elongated surfacecomprising applying a design to a pattern, obtaining a transfertherefrom on an offset roll by effecting a rolling contact between thepattern and the roll while moving the roll in a direction at an angle tothe pattern, and subsequently transferring the design from the offsetroll to the surface to be decorated by effecting a rolling contactbetween the roll and the work while moving the roll in a direction at anangle to the work.

3. The method of effecting the decorating of an elongated surface by theuse of a pattern roll, comprising obtaining a transfer from the patternroll to the surface of an offset roll by rolling the transfer roll alongthe pattern roll and at the same time moving the transfer roll relativeto the pattern roll in the direction of the transfer roll axis, andsubsequently transferring the design from the offset roll to the articleto be decorated.

4. The method of effecting the decorating of the surface of an articleof manufacture, comprising applying a design to a pattern roll,obtaining of a transfer therefrom to the surface of an offset roll byeffecting a rolling contact between the pattern roll and the transferroll while also effecting a relative axial movement between said rolls,and subsequently transferring the design from the offset roll to thesurface to be decorated by effecting a rolling contact between the rolland the work while moving the roll in a direction at an angle to thework.

5. The method of effecting the decoration of elongated surfaces throughthe use of a pattern roll having a design thereon extending in a truecircumferential direction, comprising causing the transferring of thedesign from the pattern roll to an offset roll by effecting relativecircumferential and axial movements between said rolls to form aspiraled pattern on the transfer roll and thereafter transferring thedesign to the work to be decorated to effect a lineally extendingpattern.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with apattern-forming medium and means to apply color to said pattern, of anoffset printing roll, means to support said oflset roll in peripheralcontact with said pattern, means to rotate said roll while maintainingcontact with. said pattern to transfer color to said ofl'set roll.

from said pattern, and means to cause the offset roll to move along itsaxis simultaneously with its rotary movement.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with apattern roll having a substantially continuous circumferential patternthereon, means to apply color to said pattern,

a carriage supported for movement substantially in the direction of theaxis of said pattern roll, and adapted to receive an offset printingroller and retain said roller in circumferential contact with saidpattern roll, and means to rotate said roller and simultaneously movesaid carriage, whereby the pattern is transferred to said roller in aspiral formation thereon.

8. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination with a frame,a pattern roll mounted in said frame, a carriage movably mounted on saidframe and adapted to removably retain an offset printing roller inperipheral contact with said pattern roll, a guide for said carriagewhereby said carriage may move in a plane parallel to the axes of saidrolls, and means to simultaneously rotate said roll and said roller andmove said carriage.

9. In a transfer mechanism, the combination of a frame having a patternroll rotatably mount- I ed thereon, of means to supply pigment to saidpattern roll, a carriage arranged to receive and. hold an offsetprinting roller for rotation in peripheral contact with said patternroll, a guideway for said carriage whereby said carriage may move in adirection at an acute angle to the axis of the pattern roll whilemaintaining peripheral contact between said roll and roller, andreleasable means to restrain said carriage against movement, and meanswhereby said carriage is automatically released consequent upon thedeposit of a roller therein.

10. In an apparatus of the class'described, the combination with apattern roll, and means to ap ply color to said pattern roll, of anoffset printing roll, means to support said offset roll in peripheralcontact with said pattern, means to rotatably support said offset rollwhile maintaining contact with said pattern roll to transfer color tosaid offset roll from said pattern roll, and

means to cause the offset roll to move along its axis simultaneouslywith its rotary movement.

11. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with apattern roll and means to apply color to said pattern roll, of an offsetprinting roll, means to rotatably support said offset roll and saidpattern roll in peripheral contact with each other, means to rotate oneof said rolls while maintaining said contact to efi'ect transfer ofcolor to said offset roll from said pattern roll, and means to effect arelative axial shifting of said rolls while in contact.

12. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with apattern roll having a substantially continuous circumferential patternthereon, means to apply color to said pattern roll, means adapted toreceive and rotatably support an offset printing roller and retain saidroller in circumferential contact with said pattern roll, and means torotate said roller and roll and simultaneously effect a relative axialmovement of said roll and roller.

13. In a mechanism of the class described the combination with a frame,a pattern roll rotatably supported by said frame, means mounted on saidframe for rotatably supporting an onset printing roller and adapted toremovably retain an offset printing roller in peripheral contact withsaid pattern roll, angularly adjustable means disposed between the saidmeans and the frame whereby the axes of said rolls may be adjusted tonon-parallel positions, and means to rotate said roll and said rollerwhile their axes are nonparallel.

14. In a. transfer mechanism the combination with a' frame of a patternroll rotatably mounted thereon, of means to supply pigment to saidpattern roll, a carriage arranged to receive and hold an ofiset printingroller for rotation in peripheral contact with said pattern roll, aguideway for said carriage whereby said carriage may move in a directionat an acute angle to the axis of the pattern roll while maintainingperipheral contact between said roll and roller, and means automaticallyeffective when an offset roll is placed upon said carriage to cause thecarriage to move said roll transversely of the circumferential face ofthe pattern roll.

